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DEVELOPMENT &
OA E-NEWSLETTER
OAs met on the 67th floor of the Chrysler Building in New York
May 2012
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
HEADMASTER’S MESSAGE I have greatly enjoyed having the opportunity to meet a significant number of
OAs over the last month with three specific events taking place. Firstly, the OA reunion in New York City which was memorable not least for the opportunity to
begin the evening at the top of the Chrysler Building, where Peter Shaerf has his
office. The range of OAs and their partners who were able to join us reflected on the special part that the School had to play in their lives, in most cases
before they emigrated. I also took the chance to find out more about the US education system which, certainly at university level, is increasingly attractive to
UK students who face rising university fees. Only a few days after New York, Ann Saffery and I were delighted to be able to
take over the whole restaurant at Little Barwick House near Yeovil as the venue
for our South West regional lunch. In talking to a range of guests there, it became apparent that some had never had the chance to revisit the School
since leaving and I am always keen to encourage those who would like to do so to come back and see us. A normal school day in term time is ideal with the
chance to see the School in action, but if you contact Ann Saffery or Jackie
Wilkie they will of course be able to arrange a suitable time. Last week’s event at Brewers’ Hall was a celebration both of progress on The
Wells Centre and also of the ancient links between the Brewers’ Company and the School. On display, by permission of the Guildhall museum, was the original
charter to found the school given to Richard Platt by Queen Elizabeth I. In the Diamond Jubilee year we are especially keen to recognise that our school’s
origins go back to the first Elizabethan age. In fact we are linking these facts
together this year with the first completion of the Brewers’ Bowl competition which will be competed for by boys’ and girls’ senior houses and includes
competitions in music, drama, chess, business challenge, public speaking and archery. The last element commemorates the wish of the founder in his original
instructions that boys were to play only on Thursday afternoons with “bowes
and arrows for the better exercising of their bodies”. I am delighted that so many of you with Kennedy’s connections will be joining
us for their special celebration of 50 years in that house on OA Day and look forward to seeing you then or at other events over the summer.
James Fowler
Headmaster
Date Event
Sunday 24th June 2012
OA Day – Kennedy’s Gaudy
Monday 25th
June Evensong venue and
details TBC
Tuesday
26th June Cricket – John Dewes XI
at Aldenham
Thursday
28th June Hockey – School v OAs
at Aldenham
Friday 6th
July Eros to Eros Run
Saturday
18th August Memorial for John
McAllister at Aldenham
Friday 14th
September Opening of The Wells
Centre
Friday 16th November
OA Annual Dinner at Aldenham
NEW YORK DINNER Saturday 21st April
Front Row, from left to right: James
Fowler, Headmaster, Jonathan Brett (M1963-68), Michael Little (B1954-57),
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Welcome to another edition of the e-newsletter, which I am sure you will agree is both interesting and an excellent way of keeping in touch with OAs across the
globe. Recent alumni events have shown just how much OAs value their
contacts with friends and keeping up to date with the School. It is very encouraging to see how much support there is for The Wells Centre Appeal,
which will provide some outstanding facilities for the expanding Sixth Form. Please do consider if you can help the appeal, as pupils at Aldenham we have all
benefitted from previous appeals when enjoying the facilities of the School, so
OA contributions are particularly welcome. OA Day will be our next major event, on Sunday 24th June and I am sure that
Kennedians will come from afar to take part in the House’s 50th Anniversary celebration. Our ever popular OA Dinner on Friday 16th November will give
everyone an opportunity to be entertained in The Wells Centre before the meal. We expect a large turnout of OAs at the Memorial Service for John McAllister on
Saturday 18th August and will print the inspirational address given by Canon Joe
Hawes (SHO1978-83) at John’s funeral in the next Aldenhamiana. I was delighted to have received three applications for the editorship of our
alumni magazine and, capitalising on a breadth of creative talent, we have formed an editorial team under James James-Crook (M1968-72) and look
forward to this year’s edition in the Autumn. I hope you enjoy this newsletter
and my thanks to Ann Saffery and Jackie Wilkie for their sterling work in making it so interesting and attractive. Neil Sutherland (B1966-70) President, OA Society
EVENT NEWS NEW YORK DINNER Peter Shaerf (P1967-71) reports:
“April 21st heralded the first OA gathering in New York since 2003. It was high time!
Taking advantage of a school break, Headmaster James Fowler and his wife, Dr.
Charlotte Fowler picked a perfect week, weatherwise, to visit NY. There was a very good turnout indeed. We had 14 OAs and their companions
spanning the years from 1950 to 2002 and representing all houses. Geographically the OAs came from along the east coast from Connecticut
through New York down to Virginia and North Carolina and even from Illinois.
The party began at my office atop the Chrysler Building. This was a big draw - the office, in the bottom of the spire, affords wonderful views of the city and the
perfect weather created great opportunities for photography and for soaking up the NY atmosphere.
We then walked a couple of blocks to a delightful Italian restaurant where the
evening continued with a fine, jovial spirit that allowed OAs of different generations to share and hear from the Headmaster of the developments at the
school. New friendships were forged, old ones renewed and the Aldenham spirit was
omnipresent.”
REGIONAL LUNCH – SOUTH WEST
Little Barwick House in Yeovil proved a popular location for the Regional Lunch, attracting 27 OAs to book places. The only thing that went against us on the
day was the weather. The howling winds and torrential rain made travel conditions treacherous and outside photography impossible. Fortunately the OA
spirit was not dampened and the 42 people present enjoyed a delightful meal in
good company, sharing anecdotes of times at school and swapping interests.
Maggie Hidderley (B2000-02), Babak
Amirfeiz (SHO1978-81) Middle Row: Peter Shaerf (P1967-71),Teja Safai (K1974-77),
Charlotte Ibarra (B1993-95), Tom Hidderley
(SHO1959-62) Back Row: Dick Richards (M1963-68), Timothy Scopes (SHE1965-70),
Mat North (R1991-96), Kiya Safai (K1974-77), Rob Gibbs (M1990-95), John Dyson
(SHO1950-55)
Wives and girlfriends, from left to right:
Betsy Scherl, Nazli Shivazi, Nadia Scopes, Brigita Betsworth, Clio Rubinos, Connie
Richards, Charlotte Fowler, Susan Seidelman & Lynn Little
Swapping stories and catching up
SPRING CELEBRATION
Members of aldenham.net the OA Business Networking group were invited to Brewers’ Hall to see artefacts from the Brewers’ Company archives and to join
the Headmaster in celebrating the progress of The Wells Centre Development,
with OAs, Parents and other Benefactors. If you would like to join aldenham.net please register your interest with Jackie
Wilkie [email protected] The aim of aldenham.net is to provide opportunities for OAs to meet informally
to exchange business details, which may be mutually beneficial.
FUTURE PLANS
OA DAY – SUNDAY 24th JUNE 2012
Over 100 people have already registered their intention to come to OA Day and we look forward to welcoming them all back to Aldenham.
The focus this year will be on Kennedy’s House as it is their 50th Anniversary. What were you doing in 1962 when Kennedy’s first opened?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO5WJh6HAPg
Where were you in ‘72? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9JOmU2jFUo&feature=related
What were you up to in ‘82? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE1ppCuLXmc
Were you with us in ‘92? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zVChf15jJE
We all remember 2002!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbJyB67dMcc Now here we are in 2012 – Please let us know if you want to join us to share
your memories, see ‘Aldenham today’ and celebrate 50 years of Kennedy’s. http://www.aldenham.com/uploads2/1/2012_OA_Day_Flyer_1st_draft.pdf
MEMORIAL FOR JOHN MCALLISTER Many people attended the funeral to pay respects to John McAllister and we are
now planning a Memorial Service to be held in the School Chapel on Saturday 18th August. This date was the one that suited the McAllister family best and we
hope that, despite it being the holiday season, many of you will be able to join us and celebrate John’s life. There will be a Chapel service at 2.30pm, which
will be followed by afternoon tea.
Please let Jackie Wilkie know if you plan to come to the memorial service [email protected]
ANNUAL DINNER
The date for the Annual Dinner has been set for Friday 16th November and it will
once again be at Aldenham. There will be a chance to admire The Wells Centre and enjoy some pre-dinner entertainment in this new building.
Consideration is being given to London venues for the 2013 Dinner; suggestions so far include St Pancras Hotel, the RAF Club and the East India Club. Please let
the OA Committee, via Jackie Wilkie, know your preference or if you have any other suggestions for consideration [email protected].
CLUB NEWS
FIVES
Heath Tournament Amidst bright sunshine, Graham Pulsford (M1971-75) and Aldenham schoolboy
Darshan Patel overcame strong competition from Chris Austin and Richard Dennis, to win the final of the annual Heath Tournament on Sunday 13th May
2012. Chris and Richard now play for Aldenham, although they attended Wolverhampton Grammar and Berkhamstead Schools respectively.
Twenty four players turned out for the Aldenham competition this year, with
several players from North Oxford, despite being scheduled for a second game
SOUTH WEST REGIONAL LUNCH –
Wednesday 25th April 39 OAs and guests joined the Headmaster,
OA President and the Development & OA
Manager for lunch in Yeovil.
The Headmaster, right chats to John Haines (SHO1944-49) and Wendy Upton, wife of
Christopher Upton (M1944-48)
From left to right: David Hubble (P1955-59), Frank Rogers (SHE1953-58) & David
Meldrum (SHO1955-59)
at Marlborough School in Wiltshire, later the same day.
All pairs played five games of 20 minutes each with a sixth game played to determine the overall winners. Graham and Darshan were awarded the cup and
Heath shirts by the Master of Ceremonies, Jim Fredenham from Aldenham. It
was also Jim's job to select two players who gave their all and “played out of their socks”, he chose North Oxford’s Karen Hird and Aldenham’s Dave Goad
(SHE1973-78) to receive the accolade. The event closed with a barbecue, which was enjoyed by everyone.
The Fives Club meets weekly at Aldenham on Tuesday nights from
7.30pm and welcomes new players. If you are interested in joining,
please contact Phil Lyndon (K1976-81) [email protected] or
Andrew Fraser [email protected] FREEMASONRY
The Old Aldenhamian Lodge is a Freemason’s Lodge for former students and
staff of Aldenham School. Lodge meetings are held four times a year in central London and membership opens up affiliation to the world wide fraternity of freemasons. If you are interested please contact the present secretary, Boon Sin Tan by email [email protected] for further information.
OTHER NEWS
ALDENHAMIANA – EDITORIAL TEAM We were delighted to receive interest from several OAs about the role of Editor
for Aldenhamiana. Trevor Barton has Edited 17 issues of the magazine and will
be a hard act to follow. However, into his shoes steps James James-Crook (M1968-72) who will lead an Editorial Team made up of volunteers, Hugh
Schermuly (M1974-79) and Sara Price (CR1987-2006). Ann Saffery and Jackie Wilkie will continue to assist in producing and distributing the magazine, which
promises to be as interesting as ever with contributions from OAs around the World.
If you have any stories, memories or articles about your current role in life
please send them to Jackie Wilkie in the first instance [email protected]
THE WELLS CENTRE NEARLY COMPLETE The Wells Centre is now well on the way to completion and we are planning an
official opening on Friday 14th September. All Donors will be invited to
celebrate this exciting event. Nearly £200,000 has been raised towards The Wells Centre Development. We
are sincerely grateful to all those who have given and pledged their support for this major project, and encourage others to help us reach the final target of
£350,000. There are still beams available for sponsorship at all three values - £450, £1,200
and £5,000. Development Donations of any value are also very welcome and
gratefully received. Please remember that if you are a UK tax payer we can claim Gift Aid and so
your donation can be less than the beam value, with the difference being made up by the Inland Revenue.
For further information and to download a donation form please go to the
Development pages of the School website http://www.aldenham.com/uploads2/1/ALD_WELLS_CENTRE_final_proof_21_10
_11v1.pdf OAs in the USA who wish to make a tax efficient donation, we advise you to do so via the British Schools and Universities Foundation www.bsuf.org Please use the personalised Donor Transmittal Form, which can be downloaded from the School website http://www.aldenham.com/devel/ Groups of individuals may wish to sponsor a beam together and Clubs
and Societies are also encouraged to give their support to The Wells Centre Development. The OA Society has pledged to sponsor the
Careers Room, which will be named after John Rimer (P1956-60), who
Edred Bowman (M1948-52) & Andy Limb (SHO1971-75)
OAs from the left Simon St Leger-Harris
(K1968-73), Philip Hanson (K1969-74) & Neil Sutherland (B1966-70)
From left to right: Peter Hull (M1952-56), Sally Hitch & Steve Hitch (P1954-58)
Aldenham.net @ Brewers’ Hall – Monday 14th May 40 OAs, School Governors,
Current Parents and other Well Wishers joined the Headmaster for a Spring
Celebration.
left a gift in his will to the OA Society, and The Aldenham School
Parents’ Association has sponsored the social area of the Sixth Form Centre.
THANK YOU!
OA SOCIETY MENTORING SCHEME
In response to a feature in the February E-Newsletter, four OAs have now been
logged as Mentors for the Society. We would like to hear from more people interested in supporting people in their career development and also those that
would like some guidance from a fellow OA, as a Mentee. To read the original feature about the OA Society Mentoring scheme go to:
http://www.aldenham.com/uploads2/1/January_2012_Draft_1.pdf
Please email Ann Saffery [email protected] or Jackie Wilkie [email protected] to register your interest or for more information.
AGM REPORT
The OA Society AGM was held on 7th March 2012. Minutes of this meeting are
on the OA website www.oldaldenhamian.org You will need to log in to the Members’ Database to access them. Please contact Jackie Wilkie if you have
forgotten or not received your Username and Password [email protected]
Sponsorship
The Old Aldenhamian Society now sponsors the School’s membership to FILMCLUB http://www.filmclub.org/ an education charity that helps schools set
up clubs that will provide young people with the chance to watch, discuss and review a diverse range of films – feeding their imagination and nurturing their
social and intellectual development. A popular activity, this membership has
already recognised the talents of some of our current pupils. Year 8 student Dan Shores was named FILMCLUB Reviewer of the Week in April
for his “elaborate and articulate review of The Social Network”. Andreas Leonidou, Year 12, was invited to become a FILMCLUB reporter in April.
Hosted by FILMCLUB, the charity offers students the opportunity to interact with filmmakers in a number of live webcasts. Pupils from Aldenham were one of only
five schools to enjoy a rare chance to quiz German filmmaker Werner Herzog in
a live webcast on March 28th, where our students asked a variety of questions. The charity is championed by Headteachers and key figures in education, and is
supported by the Department for Education and LOVEFiLM. Film is a uniquely powerful medium, which can introduce young people to a wider world, while
promoting better learning, improved social and communication skills and raising
aspirations. By supporting a FILMCLUB at Aldenham the OA Society provides a valuable extracurricular activity that can broaden horizons.
STRONG WOMAN: AMBITION, GRIT AND A GREAT PAIR OF HEELS
Have you read Karren Brady’s (B1985-87) book with the above title? Published this year by Collins, Karren was spurred into action to write about her journey
after realising that the women she met at Downing Street to mark International
Women’s Day, were the same ones she’d met in previous years. “Where was the new generation of women leaders?” she asked herself. “The new inventors?
The new charity workers? The new scientists and lawyers? Where were the young women who were going to change the world?” She wanted to shake
things up and her book is a ‘call to arms’, encouraging women to develop their
own paths to success. Karren’s experience at Aldenham was a very positive one, which she tells in the
first chapter ‘My Road to Independence’ and with a growing number of girls throughout the School today, we trust that Aldenham is truly doing its bit to
support her cause to get women into the boardrooms.
Thank you Karren for your honest account of the School and congratulations on your publication.
To keep up with Karren, visit her website http://www.karrenbrady.com/
Informal business networking
Fives Tournament
Darshan Patel, Year 13 & Graham Pulsford
(M1971-75), winners of the Heath Cup
2012.
ALDENHAMIANA – Editorial team
Far right James James-Crook (M1968-72)
discusses the future of the OA Magazine,
with Sara Price (CR1987-2006) next to him, Hugh Schermuly (M1974-79) and
Ann Saffery, OA Manager, left.
A PERSONAL CHALLENGE
In the last E-Newsletter we reported on Bill Waite’s (CR1982-2000) personal challenge to raise public awareness of Parkinson’s and other neurological
diseases by playing 18 golf courses in the USA and Canada. Here is a TV report
of his tour. http://origin-
www.golfingworld.tv/videos/973232859001/1632316718001/parkinsons-play-golf
RICHARD PLATT SOCIETY Members of the Richard Platt Society are people who have left a gift in their will
to the School. They leave these gifts for different reasons, indeed Richard Platt himself left orders in his will for the establishment of the School to acknowledge
his own fortune. Whatever the reason and whatever the gift, a commitment of this sort will provide the School with a secure Bursaries Fund and enable it to
offer academic, cultural and sporting facilities that will attract the quality of
student that is synonymous with Aldenham. If you would like more information please contact the Development Manager, Ann Saffery
OTHER EVENTS
EROS TO EROS RUN
The Eros to Eros run is scheduled again for the last day of term, Friday 6th July.
This event has become a well established tradition of the School and usually attracts about 25 to 30 pupils, staff and OAs, the record number of participants
is 85. This year only 1 OA has signed up to take part Alan Phillips (M1977-81) – so why not take this opportunity to join Alan and make your way back to
School? There’s plenty of time left to train for this 14.5 mile challenge from Piccadilly Circus to Aldenham. You can do it just for fun or you can raise funds
for a charity. This year the School participants are supporting The Watford New
Hope Trust http://www.wnht.org/
ASPA SUMMER BALL Aldenham School Parents’ Associations invite OAs to the Summer Ball to be held
on Friday 6th July 2012. This year they’ll be transporting you to Hawaii for a
fantastic evening in a stunning marquee in the school grounds, with dinner, dancing and dodgems. Why not make up an OA table and get together
with friends at the School? Please click here. If you require any further information or wish to discuss seating arrangements please contact
[email protected] or telephone Alison Worsley on 07976 206186
The Wells Centre
School Governors in the Foyer of the new building delight in the glazed roof with
solar panels and the green oak beams.
Summer Ball – Friday 6th July
Aloha! Hawaiin Summer Ball, Friday 6th
July – Book Now [email protected]
Eros to Eros Run – Friday 6th July
Piccadilly July 2011
If you are unable to read this e-Newsletter you will also find it at
http://www.aldenham.com/develbulletins/index.php or should you have any comments or feedback with regard to this e-bulletin please contact: Ann Saffery
Development & Alumni Manager Tel. 01923 851612
